Machine for sorting seed-corn.



No. 838,220. PATENTED DEC. 11, 1906.

R. H. STIMPLE.

MACHINE FOR SORTING SEED CORN.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 2a. 1905.

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PATENTED DEC. 11, 1906. R. H. STIMPLE. MACHINE FOR SORTING SEED CORN.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28. 1905.

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R. H. STIMPLB. MACHINE FOR SORTING SEED CORN.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28. 1905.

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1n: NORRIS PETERS c RALPH H. STIMPLE, OF BATAVIA, ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR SORTING SEED-CORN- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11, 1906.

Application filed September 28, 1905. Serial No. 280,465.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RALPH H. STIMPLE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Batavia, in the county of Kane and State of Illinois, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Sorting Seed-Corn,of which the following is a specification.

It is desirable for the purpose of obtaining the best results in yieldfrom planted seedcorn that the kernels selected for seed be ofapproximately uniform and medium size. The preferred kernels for use asseed are those which grow along the central portion of the cob, astip-end kernels are too small and butt-end kernels too large to bedesirable for the purpose.

My object is to provide amachine of simple, durable, and improvedconstruction which will operate to select from shelled corn fed theretothose kernels best suited for seed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a partly-sectional side viewof my improved machine, the section being taken on line 1 in Fig. 4;Fig. 2, a section taken on line 2 in Fig. 4; Fig. 3, a broken plansection taken on line 3 in Fig. 1 Fig. 4, a section taken on irregularline 4 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 a broken perspective view illustrating theconstruction of an endless belt or chain which I prefer to emlo p Theside boards or cheeks A B and end boards C D form the main frame of themachine, which in practice may be a portable device less than two feetin length and so far as the main portion is concerned about four inchesin width.

Fastened to the frame to extend above the end portion 0 thereof is afeed-hopper E, provided with a valve 6, adjustable by means of athumb-wheel 7, pinion 8, and rack on the valve to regulate the feed ofcorn from the hopper. Mounted betweenv the side boards and extendingfrom beneath the lower end of the hopper in an upward-inclined directionis a stationary sifting-platform F, provided throughout withcomparatively large per-forations or openings 9. Beyond the upper end ofthe platform F is a shaft 10, provided beyond the side B with anoperating-crank G and beyond the side A with a pinion 11. Just withinthe sides A B the shaft 10 carries sprocket-wheels 12. Just beyond thelower end of the platform F is a roller 13, j ournaled at opposite endsin slidably-adjustable bearings 13, which are held in adjusted positionby bolts 13*. Extending over and under the platform F and around thesprocket-wheels 12 and roller 13 is an endless chain H, formed ofparallel slats, preferably in the form of metal rods 14, bent near theiropposite ends to a right angle to form the parts 15, terminating in hookportions 16, which engage the next adjacent rods 14, as shown mostclearly in Fig. 5. The upper stretch of the chain I-I moves in a planeslightly above and parallel with the platform F. Extending downward fromthe upper inner edges of the sides A B are guard plates or shields 17,which house the hook portions 16 of the chain, as indicated.

I is an oblong sifting tray or platform resting at opposite edgeportions on guide-strips 18, fastened against the sides A B. Theguide-strips extend from the end C in a slightly-downward-inclineddirection for a distance somewhat greater than one-half the length ofthe device, and the tray or platform reciprocates thereon. The said trayor platform is formed with narrow side flanges 19 and a flange 20 at itsupper end. The base of the tray is provided throughout with U- shapedrecesses 21, forming tongues 22, which are slightly upturned, asindicated. Just beyond the lower end of the tray I is a transversedownward-inclined chute 23, extending at its lower end through the wallA. The ends 0 D at their lower portions extend beyond the side A, andfastened thereto is a side strip K. Extending between the side A andstrip K are cross-pieces 24, located as shown, upon which rests anoblong siftingtray L The tray L extends in a slightlydownward-inclineddirection beyond the end C and is formed with narrow sides 25, havinginturned flanges 26, which receive a removable platform 27, providedthroughout with perforations. The tray is provided at its upper end withan end piece 28, having a flange 29, upon which the adjacent end of theplatform 27 rests, and at the op osite sides of the lower end of thetray are s ort angle-pieces 30, against which the lower end of theplatform 27 abuts. Extending between the sides A B beyond the chute 23is a slightly-inclined board 31, forming, with the end D, a chute.

Journaled on the shaft 32 is a pinion 33, meshing with the pinion 11,and j ournaled on the shaft 34 is a pinion 35, meshing with the pinion33. A connecting-rod 36 is eccentrically and pivotally fastened to thepinion 35 at one end and bent at its opposite end to pass through a slot37 in the side A where it IIO seed-corn.

the trays I L.

In practice the corn fed from the hopper E drops .upon the platform Fand is moved by the chain H in the direction of the shaft 10. Theopenings or perforations 9 need be but little if any larger thannecessary to permit I 5 the passage through them of the kernels of thelargest size which it is desired to employ as Therefore cob ends andother trash larger or longer than kernels, which may be mixed with thecorn, are movedby the chain to the upper end of the platform F and therediscarded by being discharged through the chute formed by the wall D andcross-piece 31. Those kernels which are small enough tosift through theopenings 9 drop upon-the reciprocating tray I. The action of'the tray Iis such that those kernels which are too thin to be desirable for seedwill drop through the openings 21. and are discarded, while thosekernels which arenot too thin are moved along to the chute 23 anddischarged therebyinto the tray L. A plate or platform 27 is provided,having openings which will admit the passage through'them and cause thediscarding of kernels which are smaller than desired. Consequently thosekernels which are discharged from the end of the reciprocating tray Iiwill be of proper size,

' both as to thickness and width, for seed-corn.

p The plate 27 is removable, as stated, so

' and smaller that it may be readily replaced with another plate havingopenings somewhat larger or smaller, as desired, depending upon theparticular character of the corn operated upon.

All the kernels which are discarded fall into or through the base of thecasing and may be saved for other purposes than seedcorn.

by Letters Patent, is

1. In a connected machine for sorting seedcorn, sifting mechanismincluding an endless slat conveyer and a fixed platform beneath saidconveyer and perforated to obtain the separation from the corn and trashof seed and thinner and smaller kernels, a vibratory tray beneath saidplatform and receiving said separated kernels and having openings formedfor the passage therethrough of said thinner kernels, and means forcollecting the separated kernels.

2. In a connected machine for sorting seed corn, sifting mechanismincluding an inclined traveling slat conveyer and a fixed inclinedplatform beneath said conveyer and per forated to obtain the separationfrom the corn and trash of seed and thinner and smaller kernels, anoppositely-inclined vibratory tray beneath said platform and receivingsaid separated kernels and having openings formed for the passagetherethrough of said thinner and smaller kernels, a chute receiving theseparated seed-kernels from said tray, and a vibratory tray into whichsaid chute delivers.

RALPH H. STIMPLE.

In presence of- S. H. STIMPLE, ARTHUR L. STIMPLE.

l/Vhat I regard as new, and desire to secure

